New Delhi | Special Correspondent|November 7, 2025: In a major humanitarian and diplomatic operation, India has rescued 270 of its citizens, including 26 women, from a notorious cyber fraud complex in Myawaddy, Myanmar — a region that has rapidly become a hotspot for online crime and human trafficking across Southeast Asia.
The evacuees were brought back to India aboard two special Indian Air Force (IAF) flights from Mae Sot, a border town in Thailand, after crossing over from Myanmar through covert routes.
The mission was executed in close coordination with Thai immigration and law enforcement, the Indian Embassy in Bangkok, and the Consulate in Chiang Mai, marking one of India’s most coordinated overseas rescue operations in recent months.
Lured by Promises, Trapped in a Cyber Crime Factory
According to officials, most of those rescued had been lured with false offers of high-paying jobs abroad. Upon arrival in Myanmar, they were forced to work in large-scale online scams — including cryptocurrency fraud, investment traps, and romance scams — often under threat and confinement.
The epicenter of these operations, KK Park in Myawaddy, has been described as one of Southeast Asia’s largest cybercrime facilities. In October, a Myanmar military crackdown on the compound triggered chaos, forcing over 1,500 people from 28 countries to flee across the border into Thailand.
Indian Embassy Issues Stern Advisory
The Indian Embassy in Bangkok confirmed that among those repatriated were both victims of trafficking and individuals who may have been directly involved in fraudulent activities.
“Indian passport holders must note that visa-free entry to Thailand is permitted only for tourism or short-term business — not for employment,” the Embassy cautioned in a statement.
It also urged citizens to verify job offers and recruitment agencies before traveling abroad and to remain vigilant against online employment scams that promise unrealistic pay packages or foreign placements.
Diplomatic Pressure and Early Warnings
The latest rescue follows months of diplomatic engagement between India and Myanmar.
In July 2024, India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar had raised concerns with Myanmar’s government, seeking the release of Indians detained in scam centers and calling for stronger action against cross-border cyber fraud networks.
“We have recommended prosecution in certain cases involving individuals linked to these activities and initiated steps to block websites advertising such fake jobs,” Dr. Jaishankar said at the time.
Questioning and Identification Underway in India
After landing in India, the rescued citizens were screened by security and intelligence agencies.
Officials said the process will help distinguish genuine trafficking victims from those who may have knowingly participated in cyber operations.
The IAF aircraft made a refuelling stop at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands before proceeding to New Delhi, where further flights are being planned to bring home additional Indians still trapped in Myanmar.
Not the First Such Operation
This mission follows a similar evacuation conducted in March 2025, when India rescued 549 citizens from cybercrime hotspots along the Thailand–Myanmar border. The Indian Embassy continues to work closely with regional governments to locate and repatriate more citizens still stranded in scam centers near Myawaddy.
The New Face of Digital Exploitation
Experts describe this growing trend as a new form of digital slavery — where global cyber fraud syndicates exploit technology, poverty, and weak border enforcement to fuel a billion-dollar underground economy.
These operations rely on a dangerous nexus of technology, human trafficking, and crypto-finance, blurring the lines between online crime and forced labor.
Analysts warn that unless countries cooperate to dismantle these transnational networks, digital exploitation could become the next global humanitarian crisis.
For India, the challenge now extends beyond rescue — to ensuring preventive awareness, cyber regulation, and international coordination that can curb the lure of fake job syndicates operating under the shadow of the digital economy.
